“THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION: A TOOL TO ADVANCE IN FIGHTING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN UKRAINE”

Duration:     1 September 2018 - 31 December 2020

The Project “The Istanbul Convention: a tool to advance in fighting violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine” builds on the lessons learned and tools developed under the Council of Europe project “Combating violence against women and children in Ukraine” which concluded in February 2018.

The aim is to continue engaging with relevant authorities and local stakeholders to ensure maximum dissemination and use of the tools developed. The recent adoption of changes in the Ukrainian legal framework, in particular, the enactment of the law on preventing and combating domestic violence in December 2017, are a landmark step in the fight against violence against women and domestic violence and an opportunity for the implementation of the new provisions to be in line with applicable International and European standards, in particular, the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention.

The project is focused on the prevention and supports pillar of the Istanbul Convention and it aims at:

1.  tackling the prevention of violence against women strategically and in longer term and by supporting the necessary institutional mechanisms and multi-agency coordination (Article 7 and 10 of the Istanbul Convention);
2. strengthening the knowledge and capacities of those in charge of supporting victims at national and local level in particular by training professionals (Article 15) to realize the victims’ right to specialized services (Article 22 of the Istanbul Convention) and their right to free legal aid (Article 57).

Apart from the Ukrainian state institutions partners to the project, the Council of Europe co-operates with different state institutions, non-governmental organisations and international and donor organisations working in the field of combating violence against women and domestic violence. 

The project is implemented by the Capacity Building and Co-operation Projects Unit at the Council of Europe’s Equality Division of the Human Dignity and Gender Equality Department, together with the Council of Europe Office in Kyiv.

Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine

Ministry of Interior of Ukraine, National Police of Ukraine

Coordination Centre for Legal Aid Provision of Ukraine

National Bar Association of Ukraine

National School of Judges of Ukraine

National Academy of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine

Governmental Commissioner for Gender Policy of Ukraine

• Risk Assessment Standards and Methodologies for Diverse Stakeholders in Ukraine: Next Steps in Implementing International Standards to Ensure the Safety of Victims of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
• Court Considerations on Issuing Restraining or Protection Orders in Cases of Domestic Violence: International Standards and Overview of Ukrainian National Practice
• Media Guidance for the Development of Self-Regulatory Standards to Report on Cases of Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, based on Council of Europe Standards
• Infographics: How will the System of Assistance to Victims Violence against Women and Domestic Violence Need to be Improved Following Ukraine’s Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention?
• How Ukraine’s System of Assistance to Victims of Domestic Violence and Violence against Women will Need to be Improved Following Ukraine’s Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
• Infographics: 9 Facts about the Istanbul Convention
• Myths and Facts about the Istanbul Convention

• Video presentation “Myths and Facts about the Istanbul Convention”
• All-Ukrainian information campaign “16 days of activism against gender-based violence"

• European Court of Human Rights Legal summaries: Legal summaries: Violence Against Women
• European Court of Human Rights Legal summaries: Legal summaries: Domestic violence
• European Court of Human Rights Legal summaries: Legal summaries: Gender Equality
• CASE OF LEVCHUK v. UKRAINE (Application no. 17496/19). Judgement of the European Court of Human Rights
• Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2023
• Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)1 PREVENTING AND COMBATING SEXISM
• Website and video: Sexism: See it. Name it. Stop it.

• Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence and Explanatory Report
• Publications on Istanbul Convention

• Questions and Answers about Council of Europe Istanbul Convention
• Infographics about four Pillars of the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence
• Explanatory notes for infographics on four Pillars of the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe
• About Istanbul Convention - Safe from Fear Safe from Violence
• Istanbul Convention – instrument to promote gender equality
• Istanbul Convention. Monitoring mechanism
• Istanbul Convention. 12 important Steps
• Safe From Fear Safe From Violence. FAQ on Istanbul Convention

• Istanbul Convention. News from the Future
• Comprehensive policy and data collection in Ukraine
• Council of Europe Guidance on Gender and Media
• Gender equality and media. Council of Europe standards and implementation
• How gender and domestic violence is covered by the media and why is the Istanbul Convention relevant here

• Safe From Fear Safe From Violence. FAQ on Istanbul Convention Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence
• Brochure: Frequently Asked questions
• Publications on Istanbul Convention
• HUDOC, European Court of Human Rights
• Access to Justice for Women Victims of Violence
• Q&A: The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence

• Implementing Article 10 of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence – establishing national co-ordinating bodies
• Ensuring data collection and research on violence against women and domestic violence: article 11 of the Istanbul Convention
• Preventing violence against women : article 12 of the Istanbul Convention
• Raising awareness of violence against women: article 13 of the Istanbul Convention
• Domestic and sexual violence perpetrator programmes : article 16 of the Istanbul Convention
• Encouraging the participation of the private sector and the media in the prevention of violence against women and domestic violence: article 17 of the Istanbul Convention

• Guidance for the running of shelters for victims of violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine
• Guidance to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine with regard to a long-term approach to awareness-raising on violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine

• Council of Europe
• Council of Europe in Ukraine
• Gender Equality at the Council of Europe
• Parliamentary Network "Women Free from Violence”
• Council of Europe Gender Equality Division
• Istanbul Convention/GREVIO
• Lanzarote Convention
• Lanzarote Committee
• Children Rights at the Council of Europe
• Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA)
• Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
• The European Programme for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP)
• European Court of Human Rights

• Library on domestic violence, gender policy and gender education
• UNFPA Library